AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ah! The outlets. I need to check them out.”
“You’re not from around here?” he asked.
“No. I just moved to New York last June.”
Officer Cameron returned with a printed paper and with a big grin for me. She held up the paper, which looked like my CV.
“I thought I recognized you,” she said. “I’m a huge fan of historic preservation.”
Detective Spinoza looked at me sidelong. “I thought you looked familiar. Wow, a celebrity in our midst.”
“I’m hardly a celebrity,” I said, frowning. “Why was I out by myself with pepper spray if I’m so special?”
“I was going to ask you. Doesn’t your father get driven around in a limousine?”
“He does, but not me. I was on location late. If I can get to a location by train, I prefer that to driving. Like I said, there were no cabs, and I didn’t feel like hanging around for an Uber. And I’m glad I didn’t because I would have missed out on this.”
I pointed to the baby. After giving the officer a cup of coffee, I happily took the baby back from the detective while we sat down again, and they asked more questions.
“There was a carjacking downtown earlier this evening, but the victim said she didn’t have a baby in the car,” Officer Cameron said. “The incidents might be related, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
“Do you have food for her?” the detective asked.
“There were bottles in the diaper bag. I’ll order formula for tomorrow.”
“Oh, hopefully it won’t be necessary. I hope we can take her off your hands by tomorrow, Miss Long,” Officer Cameron said.
I wasn’t sure I wanted her taken off my hands and held her a little closer. I loved the warmth of a baby next to me.
She handed me a card. “Take this number for CPS Emergency Health. A nurse will come tonight to check her over.”
“It’s better than having to go to the ER,” the detective said.
As we walked to the door, Detective Spinoza hung back a bit, seemingly wanting to chat with me. He gave me his card and asked me to call him if I had any further questions. “Thanks for doing this for the baby.”
There was no alternative, so I just nodded.
After saying goodbye and locking up, I took the baby back to my bedroom. I hadn’t changed her diaper yet, and for all I knew, there could be a baby boy dressed in those pink clothes. I laid her on my bed and unwrapped her, carefully taking her little pajama bottoms off. Then there was a onesie and the diaper.
She was a girl. I don’t know why, but that confirmation got me all emotional. How could someone throw their little girl out of a car? After a few tries, I managed to get a fresh diaper on securely.
My phone rang. City of New York showed up above the number. I answered, thinking it was the police.
“Miss Long, this is Cheryl Baker from Child Protective Services. Can you talk to me about the baby?”
“I can. I changed the baby’s diaper and am happy to report she is a girl.”
“Oh, how funny. Anyway, I’m calling because you expressed to the officer that you had an interest in fostering the baby. I can do an emergency intake. You’ve agreed to a background search, and everything is fine. There are only a few things we need to clarify.”
“What’s going on?” I asked. “It feels so risky to just let anyone take care of her.”
“I know it must seem that way. We are unable to take in one more child tonight. We have an agreement with the other boroughs if we need extra foster families, but I’d rather work with you, if you agree to it.”
My mind flooded with possibilities. Thank God it was Friday night, so I could spend the weekend sorting out everything. I wanted this baby—that was the shocker. I thought of all the pregnant women and new babies I’d seen since I had arrived in New York. I’d never, ever given a thought to having children or a family, and suddenly my maternal instinct had decided to show its face when a baby literally appeared at my feet. Maybe the universe had been preparing me for this.
“I’ll work with you,” I said.
“Oh, wonderful. Thank you so much. What’s your email address, Miss Long? I’ll send you some simple forms to fill out. In the morning, a colleague will come to do fingerprints and take a photo of you, if you agree.”
